The 1930 census clearly lists my great grand father as coming to America in 1903 and his wife coming in 1913.

I have their Italian Marriage Certificate from 1912 in Italy.

He was born in 1886 and she was born in 1893.

What do you think is more likely, the 1903 was meant to be 1913 or that he came to America at 17 years old and then went back to Italy to marry her at age 25 (19 for her) and they came to America the following year?

My name is Dawn and I am fairly new at this. I am in search of the Molla's from Italy. My great grandmother Marina Molla was put on a ship when she was 4 years old. in what state was the country in, in 1901 for both parents to become deseased. Both of her parents were deceased and so she was shipped to Lima, Peru to live with family. I was also told that if she had stayed in her country (Italy that she would have been a Countess. I dont know how to research this information because I have No first Names for her parents. I was also told that her mother's maiden name was Robles (sounds like Ro bles possibly) If their is anyone out there in these forums that could help I would be eternally greatful.

Marina Molla was only a child when she was put on a ship to go live with her cousin Marcella Molla in Lima Peru. So my question is Why was she put on a boat, where were her parents and why is there no ship manifest listing Lazard Molla ever? He had family living in Peru. Did he never go see them?

uwlaw was replying to the original topic. There is a lot of examples of many men who would enter the US work and return to Italy, sometimes multiple times.

Marina Molla was probably put on the ship with a relative on her mothers side or another family from the same town, who is she listed next to on the manifest? Lazard Molla could have either come over on a ship either unofficially, under someone elses name or had died as well.

In those days, only the most affluent travelled such distances for a visit, you either went to work (as evidenced by the bird-of-flight behavior of manning626s ancestor) or you moved the whole family.

In any event, you need to write to Marina Molla's home commune to get a copy of her birth certificate (or look at an LDS microfilm) to get the parental information.

-jlg
PS: Hijacking is not cool. In the future, just **above the list of messages in EACH FORUM**, there is a button labelled "New Topic" that is how you start a new topic.

If Marina Molla stayed in Spain and grew up in her country she would have been a Contessa. Would that have been on her side of the family or her fathers side of the family? Who knows at this point. I would love to travel to Spain just to try and locate something of proof of this so called statement. My family is under the impression or has been told that this would have been her status as a member of society had she stayed in her Country. I cannot find any proof of this myth.

Lazard Molla nor his wife were listed on the ship manifest were not listed on the manifest at all.

Marina was also traveling with a brother by the name of Guiseppe (Spelling Error I am sure). If I could just find one shred of evidence to prove or disprove the facts about the Contessa statement i will be happy.

I would love to find the truth for my mother.

The Joudrey family and all that are left of the family seem to be closed mouth about the Molla side of the family. Why, I have no clue. And their memory's are much to be desired considering their age's at this point.

Oh and just a BTW. Marina was issued a new birth certificate when she arrived in Lima Peru with the wrong birth year. There is a 2 year discrepancy on her headstone versus the ship manifest.

The ship manifest listed her at the age of 4 in 1901 and her brother was 2 years old in 1901. This is according to the 1901 dated manifest for the ship. but her headstone shows a 2 year difference in age.

I am confused as to why that happened (the age change). Were they guessing her age when they put her on the ship?

I will have to look at it again (the ship manifest that is) and look at the names of the people she was traveling with. but even a false name is no help to me. it only leaves more questions as to why the parents would have assumed another name to hide his identity but not his children when they were put on the ship.